THE Bacolod City Council will soon hold a public hearing on the proposed creation of a new legislative district in the city.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said Thursday, May 11 that the hearing next week, the schedule of which has yet to be finalized, will be led by Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of committee on laws and government.
He said they will wait for the result of the public hearing before coming up with a final stand on the creation of second congressional district.
In February, Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya sent letters to Familiaran and Mayor Evelio Leonardia, and the members of the City Council asking their position on the redistricting and to determine if they are still willing to continue the proposal.
Leonardia, in response, said he will form a committee that will study the proposed creation of a new legislative district.
In the past years, Leonardia and his political party endorsed the redistricting of Bacolod, but after he was elected mayor anew last year, he said they need to study it again because of the different circumstances.
The mayor pointed out that they endorsed the redistricting before because of the specific amount of Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) that the two congressmen can get for Bacolod.
“During that time, the congressmen had P70 million of PDAF. If we have two districts Bacolod could have a P140 million that could be used for projects, but when the PDAF was abolished, it’s no longer a valid reason,” Leonardia said.
In July 2016, Gasataya introduced House Bill 147, which is an act reapportioning the lone legislative district of Bacolod and thereby creating a new legislative district from such reapportionment which seeks to create another legislative district due to its consistently increasing population.
Section 1 of House Bill 147 provides that Barangays 1 to 27, 41, Alangilan, Banago, Bata, Estefania, Granada, Mandalagan, Montevista, and Villamonte will comprise the first district.
Meanwhile, Barangays 28 to 40, Alijis, Cabug, Felisa, Handumanan, Mansilingan, Pahanocoy, Punta Taytay, Singcang-Airport, Sum-ag, Taculing, Tangub, and Vista Alegre will comprise the second district.
Moreover, Familiaran said Distrito and committee members Councilors Renecito Novero and Ann Marie Palermo will make a recommendation to the City Council.
“We need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the redistricting. We should study the proposal first,” he said.
